Schools in Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad to close early on Friday for last leg of Pune Grand Tour

Stage 4 of the Pune Grand Tour—India’s first-ever Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) 2.2 multi-stage race—is 95 km with an elevation profile of 560 metres.

“The race in Pune City traverses many internal as well as arterial roads. And it is likely going to cause traffic congestion. To avoid inconvenience to the students, all the government and private schools in Pune have been ordered to function till 12 pm and then remain closed after that,” the notification states.

The notification for PCMC reads, “Under Stage 4, the competition will commence from Chhatrapati Shivaji Stadium, Balewadi. It will proceed into the Pune city limits and then re-enter the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate limits via the Rajiv Gandhi Bridge. The route will pass through Sangvi, Wakad, Nigdi, Triveninagar, Bhosari, Chikhali and the Pimpri–Kalewadi areas, before again entering the Pune city limits via the Rajiv Gandhi Bridge.”

“To ensure the smooth and safe conduct of the competition and to avoid inconvenience to citizens, the entry of all types of vehicles on the competition route has been prohibited, and traffic has been diverted via alternative routes. To prevent inconvenience to students, the orders state that all government and private schools located in PCMC limits shall remain closed after 12 noon,” it adds.

The race will be flagged off at 1.30 pm on January 23 from Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi, and will conclude at BAL Gandharv Rangmandir, Jangali Maharaj Road, at 4 pm. As per the Pune Grand Tour website, “The last leg of Pune Grand Tour presents a unique challenge to the cyclists as the cityscape becomes their track. It’s the race to the finish line as cyclists will pedal across city streets marked by landmarks of heritage and evolution.”